Judicial Watch Files Suit Seeking ATF Records on Attempted Ammo Ban

The conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch filed suit in federal court on Monday seeking communications records related to the Obama administration's attempt to ban a popular kind of AR-15 ammunition in 2015.

The suit, Judicial Watch v. U.S. Department of Justice, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. It stems from a Freedom of Information Act request the watchdog group filed with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) in March 2015. The request asked for all communications related to the agency's decision "to no longer exempt 5.56 mm. SS109 and M855 (i.e., ‘green tip' AR-15) ammunition from the definition of ‘armor-piercing' ammunition" in the year leading up to its announcement.

Judicial Watch said the ATF effectively ignored its request. The group said the ATF never formally acknowledged receiving the request despite confirmation from the Postal Service that it was delivered. ATF did not produce the requested documents, argue it was exempted by law, or tell the group if it ever intended to respond.

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